EU and US Lack Tools to Influence the Region Compared to Russia, Says Suren Sargsyan

Both the European Union and the United States lack the means to influence our region to the extent that the Russian Federation does. This was stated by regional affairs expert and American studies scholar Suren Sargsyan in an interview with 24News, commenting on the trilateral meeting that took place yesterday in Brussels under the initiative of European Council President Charles Michel, which included Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

According to Sargsyan, the process of resolving Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and implementing the points of the trilateral statements will continue primarily under Russia's mediation. “Of course it is difficult to talk about the outcomes of the trilateral meeting in Brussels, because the information is scarce. No official information is provided regarding the discussions—what was discussed, what agreements were reached, what concessions Armenia needs to make again. The answers to these questions are still absent for fully understanding and interpreting the entire picture. At least I have the impression that the European Union is also joining the process to legitimize the November 9 statement. Because if it was being implemented through Russian mediation, now it is being legitimized by the EU. And basically, everything revolves around the agreements that were secured, which were established by the November 9 agreement,” Sargsyan noted.